Written By: Anne Woodcock
On Date: 1/9/2018
What a difference a drop of rain can do to salmon catches. Neil Lobban, river reporter for the Tyne sums up all our thoughts. "Whilst a few improved days does not make a season, there have been decent numbers of fish seen on the Tyne. The River Tweed seems to be picking up too. Fingers crossed the rain continues!"
This coming week showery weather is moving across the country, including a chance of hail and thunder in some places and the wind will be changing direction towards the weekend - live weather page.
Anglers fishing in coloured water are seeing better results using a larger fly which is being worked. When the river is running clear, small flies in the range of 12 to 16 have done well. Be prepared to change tactics!
Break away from tradition and use a small riffle tube fly and "hitch" it - read more.
The wind is changing direction this week and can your casting cope with this? If you need to brush up on how to cast off both shoulders we have a list of qualified instructors and guides.
With fishing conditions improving the office phone lines are very busy. You can purchase fishing permits for Scotland, England, Wales, Ireland and Iceland on line or give our fishing team a call in the office on 01573 470612.
Wherever you are fishing this week, don't forget send me your photos.
Anne
Anne@fishpal.com
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Fish The Dee
Wilma Murray started fishing this year and has caught her first salmon this week.
We toiled with low water conditions yet again. Nonetheless, the river Dee produced 84 salmon and grilse. We would probably have doubled that with a decent water level - read more.
A special mention for Tony Peacock, from Zimbabwe who has caught his first salmon on Park. Tony is 75 and started salmon fishing 5 years ago, it's never to late to start fishing.
Join Gary Scott on his next Spey casting course on the beautiful river Dee at Lower Invercauld and Monaltrie beat on September 20/21st. He also has the 22nd for fishing if you would like to stay an extra day. For more information please email Gary
Gary Scott fishing Little Blackhall and Inchmarlo Fishings this week.
The season on the Dee closes for beats above Aboyne Bridge on the 30th September. For beats below Aboyne Bridge 15th October. If you would like to fish the river before it closes, visit latest availability or give the office a call on 01573 470612.
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Fish The Eden
Rainfall is keeping salmon moving through the system, with fish on beats from the estuary in to the middle river, around Penrith. There has been a good run of grilse during July/August and good numbers of salmon. Trout fishing has also been productive when the water has been clear. Find Fishing on the Eden.
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Fish The Tay
The current conditions have improved dramatically giving everyone a great chance of landing a "Bar of Silver" and even possibly a fish of a lifetime with some of the multi sea winter fish currently being caught in recent weeks - latest catches.
Tom Brown guiding a Canadian guest to his first fish.
Last week the river finished with 125 Salmon and 6 sea trout. Highlights for the week included 10 in one day for Lower Redgorton and 19 for Almondmouth. Upper Islamouth and Meikleour had 5, including fish for 2 Canadian guests. The fish was their first ever salmon and was caught whilst the beat were being filmed for a programme on BBC Landward - read more.
Tom Brown guiding on Meikleour Fishing.
There are 7 weeks left to the end of the 2018 Tay season. If you would like to fish the river before it closes on October 15th please visit the FishTay site or give Tom a call in the office on 01573 47612.
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The Latest
Keeping up to date has never been so easy from the Latest Catches and River Levels to weekly fishing/river Reports from our guides and writers.
Along with daily news added onto our social media channels we are the first place to visit or call if you would like to go fishing in Scotland, England, Wales, Ireland and Iceland.
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Fish The Tweed
Angler playing a fish on Junction yesterday.
The best week of the season so far on Tweed, mostly due to last Friday and Saturday's catches, 75 and 49 fish. Four beats had double figure days, Ladykirk 12, Horncliffe 11, Birgham Dub 10 and Hendersyde 10.
Tillmouth are close to 150 fish for the season so far. Horncliffe caught their 50th fish of the season last week, and as we go to press this week, their total so far is now at 70.
Neil Ford catches the 50th fish on Horncliffe Beat with Tony Averill.
Middle Pavilion had 5 Salmon and 5 Sea Trout for the week, with the best day on Friday with 2 Salmon and 5 Sea Trout.
Lees Head Boatman Malcolm Campbell reports "Some fish at last. All on a #10 fly with a floater or just a wee inter sink tip on the end. No monsters in the bag, the biggest was 7lb, but all very welcome after a 2 month drought, we have seen fish in every pool".
Happy angler fishing Ladykirk.
Ladykirk Head Ghillie Mr Matthi Viethen reports "Finally a few smiling anglers. Another good week for us, in fact the best of the season with 9 salmon between 8 and 18lb. The beat had their 100th fish of the season last week"
Fish on Ashiestiel for a TweedGuide customer.
Join Tweedguide on their next salmon fly fishing school on Wednesday August 29th. They will supply rods, reels, lines, flies, waders, wading jackets, lifevests etc. For more information and to book a place please contact Ron & Lynn McCombe.
The coming months are the best time to fish the Tweed. If you would like to find out more about beats on Tweed please give Tom a call in our Kelso offices on 01573 470612.
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Riffle Hitching Success
Anglers are trying the riffle hitch tube for the first time this year.
Stealth is normally everything when you are doing the 'hitch', light presentation and longer leaders. Cast across the flow, if you have some these days, and if not, work your fly across the pool with a figure of eight or slow pull retrieve. You will be fascinated how your fly dances over the water with the wake in its trail - read more.
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Fish The Tyne
Salmon and a sea trout from the S. Tyne, Monday 20th August.
Some rain and some action!
The Environment Agency have reported 5,112 upstream counts up to 14th August. A total of 18,167 fish so far this year.
Recent rain seems to have got things going a bit and fingers crossed we get a bit more to keep levels topped up. A mix of staler river fish and very fresh salmon, grilse and sea trout have been caught recently. Kielder remains well below the trigger level and 3 cumecs is predicted all week.
Reports of very fresh grilse this week from the North Tyne, as well as sea trout and some more coloured salmon. Haughton beat has enjoyed a steady run of sea trout, with over 25 fish landed - find fishing.
Congratulations to Isobel Gillespie (11) who caught her first ever sea trout within 5 minutes of starting from Chipchase Castle's bottom pool on a size 12 silver stoat fly. A great start to a hopefully long and successful angling career.
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Fish The Annan
Murron (11) caught this 5lb trout on the upper river on Saturday.
Over the weekend we have enjoyed our biggest rise in water since the middle of June, with the lower river reading 3' 6" on the Brydekirk gauge on Sunday afternoon. By Tuesday the whole river should be at a height conducive to catching, with levels favouring lower river beats later in the week.
It is likely water levels will drop rapidly without further rainfall so we recommend anglers concentrate on lower river beats such as Newbie, Cleuchhead and Hoddom later in the week - find fishing.
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